Game apparatus



(No Model.)

W. F. JONES.

GAME APPARATUS.

No. 447,247. 7 Patented Feb 24, 1891.

wi/h/vmeo W Svwemtoz UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFIGE.

XVALTER F, JONES, OF SYRACUSE, NEXV YORK.

GAME APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 447,247, dated February 24, 1891.

Application filed September 29, 1890, Serial No. 366,431. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, XVALTER F. JONES, of Syracuse, in the county of Onondaga, in the State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Games, of which the following, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, is a full, clear, and eX- act description.

My invention relates to an improved game, and has for its object the production of a simple, instructive, and interesting amusement; and to this end it consists, essentially, in a thoroughfare or railroad having a series of stations, symbols, ornames for distinguishing the separate stations from each other, symbolsfordistinguishing the distance of one station from the other, a traveling member or members movable from station to station, and a chance-indicatin g devicehaving thereon traveling members, which thus constantly move toward each other, and in providing a side-track station upon which both traveling members may rest at the same time and thus pass each other.

It furthermore consists in the detail con struction and arrangement of the parts, all as hereinafter more particularly described, and pointed out in the claims.

In describing my invention reference is had to the accompanying drawing, which represents a plan view of my game apparatus and is deemed sufficient to, fully illustrate the same,

Corresponding letters and figures indicate like parts upon the drawing and specification.

The frame or body A of the game is composed of suitable material and preferably wood or past-ebo'ard', since these possess great durability and strength in addition to maximum cheapness.

The thoroughfare B is here represented as a pair of parallel-lines having stations I), between which are cross-lines O for dividing the distance between the stations into a series of sections or divisions as, for instance, into miles-whereby the number of a stated standard distance or space between the staerwise formed.

D represents one of the traveling members shown as a round block and illustrated in dotted lines as in operative posit-ion and as starting from the first, station Syracuse to Albany in. the direction shown by the arrows 1.

E represents a second traveling member, shown as of similar form to the previous starting-block D, and illustrated in dotted lines as operatively placed upon and as starting from the station Albany on the way to Syracuse in the direction shown by the arrows 2.

F represents the chance-indicating device, which may be of suitable form, size, and construction. As here illustrated, this device consists of an ordinary die, and it will be understood that the players may use one or more dice, as desired. In practice I prefer to use two and, in order to add to the progress of the game, prescribe the rule that when either thesum of the numbers thrown or the number thrown on a single die equals the distance or number of miles or other stated divisions between adjacent stations, the player may then move the traveling member to the next station in advance, whereupon he is entitled to another throw. Suppose, for instance, that the player is starting from Syracuse, the numbers thrown on the dice or chance-indicating device F equal in total eight, but the number thrown on the die 3 is 5. The distance from Syracuse to DeWitt, the next station in advance, is five miles; consequently the player moves the traveling-member D to fDelVitt and again throws the dice. Suppose the numbers The stations I) are shown as square blocks, but, if desired, may be oth- IOO thrown the second time are identical with those thrown at first, the dice 4: shows 3 on its upper face, and consequently the player moves and throws again. Suppose, upon the third time, he throws a 5 and a 2. The distance between Manlius and the next adjacent station, Kirkville, is three miles, and as 3 has not been thrown further progress of the member D is checked, and the second player attempts to move the traveling member E. The second player throws the same numbers as those previously thrown, and consequently moves the traveling member E to \Vest Albany, three miles distant. He then throws the same numbers again, and moves to Karner, and upon throwing at the third triala 4. and a 3 is prevented from movement, and the player from Syracuse again throws. The players thus advance toward each other until one or the other reaches the station G, which is preferably equidistant from Syracuse and Albany. At this station G, 1 make a side-track, and if the member D upon its last move reaches G the member E, if it advances to G, can then pass the member D. This is preferably the only station upon which both may restsimultaneously, or, in other words, the only station where one can pass the other, and consequently I prescribe the rule that, with the exception of the station G, when the number thrown entitles the traveling member to move upon a station then occupied, the other member is put back one station. It is thus evident that if the proper numbers are thrown by the members F one traveling member may force the other backward to its starting point.

Upon each station, in order to ascertain its distance from the starting-point, are placed symbols, which indicate their distance from Syracuse and from Albany, and enable the player to readily ascertain the advantage of his opponent.

As here illustrated and described, the distance between the separate stations is divided into equal divisions of a mile each; but other suitable distances may be used when desired.

In order to facilitate the computation of the distance between the separate stations, I place upon each at the top the distance from the station nearest to Syracuse and at the bottom the distance from the one nearest Albany.

. The operation of my invention will be readily perceived from the foregoing description and upon reference to the drawing, and it will be understood that the same is simple in its construction and aitords agreat amount of amusementand enjoyment. Moreover, this game is highly instructive, since experionce has demonstrated that even among travelers few know the distance between the separate station's between which they ride.

It is evident that other highways, as rivers, stage-roads, &c.,may be used instead of raih ways, and that other changes may be made in my invention without departing from the spirit thereof.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

I 1. Theherein-described game,the same consisting of a series of stations, a member movable on said stations, different symbols for the stations, and a chance-indicating device having thereon symbols to correspond with the aforesaid symbols, substantially as described.

, 2. The hereimdescribed game,the same consisting of a series of stations, two startingstations, a pair of traveling members, dilterent symbols for said stations, and a chanceindicating device having thereon symbols to correspond with the aforesaid symbols, substantially as specified.

3. The herein-described game, the same consisting of a series of stations, two startingstations, a pair of traveling members, and a station interposed between said former stations upon which both of the traveling members may rest at the same time, substantially as set forth.

4. The herein-described game, the same consisting of a series of stations, two startingst-ations, different symbols for said stations,

a 'chanceandicating device having" symbols thereon to correspond with the aforesaid symbols, and a resting-station upon which both of said traveling members may rest at the same time, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

5. The herein-described game,the same consisting of a series of stations, three or more of which are at unequal distances from each other, a traveling member movable on said stations, and a chance-indicating device havin g thereon symbols corresponding to the dif ferent distances between said stations, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

6. The herein-described game, the same consisting of a series of stations, three or more of which are at uneqtial-distances from each other, a pair of starting-stations, a pair of traveling members movable toward each other from said starting-stations, and symbols on said members corresponding to the distances between said stations, substantially as and for the purpose described.

7. The herein-described game, the same comprising a thoroughfare, a series of stoppingstations, symbols for distinguishing one station from the other, symbols for distinguishing the distance of one station from the other, and a chance indicating device having thereon symbols to correspond with one series of the aforesaid symbols, substantially as set forth.

8. Theherein-described game, the same comprising a thoroughfare, a series of stations consisting of two opposite starting 'points and a series of intervening stations, symbols for distinguishing the distance of the intervening stations from the starting-stations, a witnesses, at Syracuse, in the county of Ononpair of traveling members movable on the daga, in the State of New York, this 18th day stations, and a chance-indicating device or of September, 1890.

members having thereon symbols to corre- T spond with the distance between the adjacent VALTER JOB stations, substantially as described. Witnesses:

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed 01 ARK H. NORTON,

my name in the presence of two attesting H. E. CHASE. 

